Electronic printer

ABSTRACT

The electronic printer which records the characters or indicia including alphanumerics, symbols and any other representations comprises a plurality of recording needles each of which moved with respect to a recording medium which is advanced at the right angle to the direction of movement of the recording needles and recording position detecting means associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with the recording needles. In response to the detection of the recording position, signals are transmitted from the recording position detection means to a control unit. The control unit generates recording signals and transmits the signals to the recording needles to synthesize the characters or indicia to record them on the recording medium.

0 United States Patent 1151 3,678,193 Yamamoto [451 July 18, 1972 [54] ELECTRONIC PRINTER 2,213,108 8/1940 Pollard 1 78/19 [72] Inventor: Hldeo Yamamoto, Kawasakl, Japan Primary Examiner Kathleen H Claffy 3] A ign I Canon Klbushikl Keisha, Tokyo, Japan Assistant Examiner-Horst F. Brauner Attorney-Ward, McElhannon, Brooks & Fitzpatrick [22] Filed: July 7, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 52,927 [571 ABSTRACT The electronic printer which records the characters or indicia including alphanumerics, symbols and any other representa- [30] Foreign Application priority Dan. tions comprises a plurality of recording needles each of which July 12, 1969 Japan ..44/55233 moved with respect to a recording medium which is advanced at the right angle to the direction of movement of the record- [52] 11.8. CI ..l78/l8 s needles n r ing p i i n dete ing means associated 51] Int. Cl. ..l-l04n 1/00 with movable mcmbcr which moves in Synchronism with the [58] Field of Search ..178/18, 19, 20, 21, 17 D recording medicsht rcsponsc'to the detection of the recording position, signals are transmitted from the recording posi- 56] References Cited tion detection means to a control unit. The control unit generates recording signals and transmits the signals to the UNITED STATES PATENTS recording needles to synthesize the characters or indicia to record them on the recording medium. 3,150,915 9/1964 D1xon ..l78/l8 2,987,249 6/1961 Van Vechten ..l78/l7 D l0Clains, 15 Drawing Figures AMPLIFIER CONTROL UNIT Patented Jul 18, 1972 8 Sheets-Sheet l AMPLIFIER CONTROL 5} UNIT Patented July 18, 1972 3,678,193

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented JTxly 18, 1972 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 BUFFER DIGIT REGISTER 4 47- DETECTOR PATTERN GENERATOR CONVERTER s SCAN DETECTOR PULSE GENERATOR FIG. 5

PATTE RN CLOCK FROM 34 I FLIP-FLOP P-A F g 0R3 0R4 633 OR PBI ' Patented July18, 1972 1 3,678,193 v s Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 6

TO MOTOR 8 FROM 35 FF u Patented. July 18, 1972 3,678,193

8 Sheets-Sheet 6 LSD} v FIG. 7 4 s TPB 72 v v FPB END OF om: WORD PUP-FLOP Z; I

cooowmcnn-wm I Patented July 18', 1972 8 Sheets-Sheet 7- ELECTRONIC PRINTER The present invention relates to an electronic printer and more particularly an electronic character recording device for use with electronic computers, calculating machines and other instruments.

There have been proposed and used various mechanically operated character recording or typesetting devices such as line printers employing the character matrices in the form of a disk, belt, wheel, etc. They have the defects such thatnoise is produced, the typesetting or recording speed is low, the mechanism is complex, the breakdowns tend to occur very often. They cannot satisfy the requirements for high printing speed, high reliability in operation and compactness in size in the above-mentioned fields. It is especially very disadvantageous to employ them with high speed electronic computers.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved electronic printer.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic printer in which the characters may be printed along the locus by applying the electrical signals to the recording needles or electrodes which are displaced relative to a recording paper.

The present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a schematic view illustrating a recording mechanism in which a recording unit and a control signal detecting unit are rotated in synchronism with a recording paper which is moved by a motor and external circuits;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the recording mechanism illustrating a main portion of the mechanical arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a disc used in the present invention illustrating the relationship between two kinds of apertures and their detecting means; FIGS. 3A and 3B depict schematically other embodiments of the needle holder; FIG. 3C depicts another embodiment of the disc; FIG. 3D depicts a side view of the disc shown in FIG. 3C in connection with magnetic pickup means;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a control arrangement for applying as the recording signals the data stored in the electronic computer to the recording mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of digit detector and its associated circuits for forming a pattern required for recording;

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a scan detector for indicating the scanning line;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a binary-to-decimal converter which converts into the decimals the binary codes stored in the register of the electronic computer;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a pattern generator;

FIG. 9 depicts waveforms which may be obtained in various parts of the illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a representation of numeric 2 synthesized in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the example in which the control circuit may be further simplified by employing a read-only memory.

Referring to FIG. 1, a driving shaft 11 carries, in axially spaced apart relation, a recording needle holder 13 having recording needles or electrodes 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D, a disc 14 and a gear 15 in mesh with a gear 19 carried by the rotary shaft of a motor 18 so that upon rotation of the motor 18, the driving shaft 11 is rotated to rotate the holder 13 and disc 14. A recording medium feed roller 16 is also rotated by the motor 18 through a worm wheel 17 carried by its rotary shaft and in mesh with a gear 20 carried by the shaft of the feed roller 16. l

The needle holder 13 has the four recording needles or electrodes l2A-12D equiangularly spaced apart from adjacent needles in the same plane and extended in the normal direction of the needle holder 13. The recording medium or paper 21 is so bowed as to form an arc of a circle whose center is that of the drive shaft 11 and whose radius is the distance between the center of the drive shaft 11 and the point of the needle 12A-12D so that upon rotation of the needle holder l3,the recording needles I2A-I2D may rotate in contact with the recording paper 21. Therefore, when a potential is applied to any one of the recording needles l2A-12D, the characters are recorded on the paper 21 as will be described in more detail hereinafter. A roller 22 in contact with the recording paper 21 is made of a conductive material and serves as an electrode opposing to the recording needles or electrodes l2A-12D. Leads 23A, 23B, 23C and 23D connected to the recording needles I2A-I2D extend through the drive shaft 11 and are connected to an exterior control circuit through an electrical contact 24 fixed to the drive shaft 11 in insulating relation therewith, so that the recording signals are applied to the recording needles l2A-I2D through the contact 24 and leads 23A, 23B, 23C and 23D. The lower end of the drive shaft 11 is journalled by a bearing member 25 fixed to a casing 27 while the upper end is also journalled by a bearing 26 as shown in FIG. 2. The disc 14 is disposed below this bearing 26.

Referring to FIG. 3, the disc 14 is shown as having a number of apertures 30 -60,, all of which are located along the circumference of a circle coaxial with the drive shaft 11. These apertures 30 -30,, are used in order detect the column of a character to be recorded. The disc 14 has apertures 31A-31D located along the circumference of a circle whose radius is greater than that of the circle for the apertures 30,-30, in the illustrated embodiment. These apertures 31A-31D serves to detect the scanning lines. The number of apertures 30 is determined by the number of characters to be recorded in one line while the number of apertures 31 is dependent upon the number of scanning lines. Light emissive elements such as lamps 32 and 33 are disposed above the disc 14 in opposed relation with the paths of the apertures 30 -30, and 31A-31D respectively while light responsive elements such as phototransistors 34 and 35 are disposed below the disc 14 so as to receive light emitted from the lamps 32 and 33 through the apertures 30 -30,, and 31A-31D respectively.

Eighteen apertures 30 are provided for each aperture 31 in the instant embodiment as shown in FIG. 3 so that as many as 18 characters may be recorded in one line under the control of the signals derived from the phototransistor 35 and since the four apertures 31A-31D are provided, four scanning lines may be used upon each rotation of the disc I4. When the character is generated by 7 scanning lines, the column and scanning line control signals are derived from the phototranSistors 34 and 45 respectively for recording 18 characters in one line upon rotation of seven-fourths of the disc. As shown in FIG. 2, the disc 14 is partly interposed between a pair of shields 36 so that the light rays other than those from the lamps 32 and 33 are not intercepted by the phototransistors 34 and 35.

In the instant embodiment, the disc 14 and the needle holder 13 are separately provided, but the apertures 30 and 31 may be provided in the needle holder 13 to omit the disc and the lamps and phototransistors may be disposed in a similar manner as described above. This is shown in FIG, 3A, wherein the needle holder 113 carries four needles 112A, 1128, 112C and 112D and has four large apertures 131A, 1318, 131C and 131D, and small apertures 130,. 130,,. Instead of the needle holder of the type described above, the recording needles may, as shown in FIG. 313, be extended from a belt 14a wound around spaced apart rollers 14b and the apertures 30 and 31 may be formed through this belt and the light emissive elements 32 and 33 may be disposed in a similar manner as described above. Any suitable detecting means may be utilized in the present invention instead of the light responsive elements. For example, instead of the apertures, small magnets may be arrayed whileinstead of the light responsive elements, magnetic pickup elements may be arranged. This is shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, wherein small magnets 230 to 230,, and large magnets 231A to 231D are provided on the plane of a disc 214. Magnetic pickup elements 232 and 233 are fixed to detect the presence of magnetic fluxes. When the magnets 230 and 231 pass under the respective magnetic pickup elements 233 and 232, the pickup elements are energized in response to the presence of the magnetic fluxes produced by the magnets 230 and 231.

Light intercepted by the phototransistors 34 and 35 through the apertures 30 and 31 is converted into electrical signals which are amplified by amplifiers 37 and 38 and transmitted to a control unit 39 and then to a computer 40. (See FIG. 1). In response to the signal received, the recording start signal is transmitted from the computer 40 to the control unit 39, the start signal from the control unit is applied to the motor 18 so that the needle holder l3, disc 14 and feed roller 16 are rotated and in response to the data signals from the computer 40 the recording is started. That is, in response to the data signals from the computer 40, the control unit 39 detects the positions of the apertures 30 and 31 by the signals from the phototransistors 34 and 35 through the amplifiers 37 and 38 for recording the data.

The operation will be described in more detail referring to FIG. 4. The motor 18 rotates in response to the recording start signal so that both of the needle holder 13 and disc 14 rotate. The output representative of the aperture for detecting the scanning line is applied to a scan detector 45 so as to detect which line is scanned. The output of the scan detector 45 is transmitted to a pattern generator 46. The output representative of the apertures for detecting each digit is applied to a digit detector 47 and the output of the digit detector 47 is transmitted to the pattern generator 46. On the other hand, the data stored in the computer 40 are derived one character by one character (or one digit by one digit), converted into the decimal signals through a binary-to-decimal converter 48 and applied to the pattern generator 46. The combined outputs from the scan detector 45, digit detector 47 and converter 48 generate signal voltage in the pattern generator 46 and the signal is applied to a signal voltage application unit 50 from which the signal voltage is applied to any one of the recording needles l2A-12D for recording a desired character.

The signal voltage application unit 50 comprises three transistors 51, 52 and 53, and the transistor 51 is coupled to the transistor 52 through a pulse transformer 54. The transistor 51 is turned on only when output 1" is applied across a resistor 55 so that the transistor 52 is also turned on through the pulse transformer 54. The signals are then applied to the recording needles l2A-12D arranged on the needle holder l3.

The electronic printer in accordance with the present invention comprises the circuits shown in FIG. 4 which will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The digit detector 47 is shown in FIG. the scan detector 45, in FIG. 6; the converter, in FIG. 7; and the pattern generator 48, in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 5, the digit detector 47 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, the digit detector 47 comprises a flip-flop 57 to which is applied the output from the phototransistor 35, a pattern clock pulse generator 58 which generates clock pulses when the flip-flop 57 is set to 1", a counter 59 and a pattern decoder 60. Upon rotation of the disc, light from the lamp 32 passes through the apertures 30, it is intercepted by the phototransistor 34 so that the pulse signals as shown by TPA in FIG. 9 are obtained. These pulse signals are applied to the flip-flop 57 so as to set it and drive the pattern clock pulse generator 58 thereby generating the clock pulses as shown by CPP in FIG. 9. The flip-flop 57 is reset by the seventh clock pulse by the pattern decoder 60 to be described hereinafter so that the pattern clock pulse generator 58 stops immediately when the flip-flop 57 is reset. As shown in FIG. 9, seven clock pulses are generated for each pulse signal TPA. The clock pulses are applied to the counter 59, which comprises three flip-flops 61, 62 and 63. Their set outputs are P81, P82 and PB3 and their reset outputs PBl, W1 and m. The pattern decoder 60 is formed by combinations of these set and reset outputs to generate signals for synthesizing a character. For example, the AND gate G25 generates the output when there are the outputs PBI, PB2 and P83 simultaneously. AND gate G26 produces the output if there are the outputs Ffil, PB2 and P83 simultaneously from the counter 60. In a similar manner, outputs P-A, P-B, P-C, and P-R are derived from the AND gates G25-G34 and the outputs PG-PQ are also derived from OR gates ORl-OR- 5.

The arrangement of the pattern decoder 60 may be expressed in terms of Boolean algebra as follows:

FIG. 9 depicts how the outputs P-A-P-R are produced depending upon the content of the counter 59 which counts the clock pulses OH. The flip-flop FBI in the counter 59 generates the outputs in the first, third, fifth and seventh time intervals or periods; PB2, in the first, second, fifth and sixth periods; and P33, in the first, second, third and fourth periods. On the other hand, the outputs P-A-P-R are products of the states of the flip-flops PB], PB2 and PB3 as shown in FIG. 5. That is, line patterns are so arranged as to have the following length:

P-A first period P-B second periOd P-C third period P-Q first and second periods P-R first and third periods P-P seventh period In the instant embodiment, one character is formed by five units in column and seven units in row, and the sixth period in column is left vacant while the seventh period is used for recording a decimal point. Therefore, the P-P output in the seventh period is applied to the flip-flop 57 so as to reset it, thereby resetting the counter 59in the seventh period.

In the instant embodiment, a numeral 2 may be recorded in the following manner as shown in FIG. 10:

Qatar-onet- Referring to FIG. 6, the scan detector comprises a counter 69 comprising four flip-flops 65, 66, 67 and 68 and a decoder for producing an output depending upon AND of the outputs from the flip-flops 65-68. The decoder 70 has matrix array as shown in FIG. 6 and AND gates G15-G23 for producing logic products of the set and reset outputs. When one pulse is applied to counter 69, the AND gate G15 generates the signal N-l; and when one more pulse is applied, the AND gate G-16 generates the signal N-2. In a similar manner, the AND gates G-17,-G23 generate the signals N-3-N-9 depending upon the pulses applied.

In the instant embodiment, the spacing corresponds to one word, that is seven steps so that the needle counter is reset by the output from the gate G-24 upon counting 14. The relationship between the outputs N-l-N-9 and the content in the needle counter 69 may be expressed in terms of Boolean algebra as follows:

N-9=PN1 a m-Win14 FIG. 7 depicts the registers in the computer 40 and binaryto-decimal converter 48. The data from the computer are stored in the circulating register 71 and circulated through the AND gate G36 and the circulating register 71. The flip-flop 72 serves to transfer to a buffer register 73 the data for one word (in the instant embodiment 4 bits) stored in the circulating register 71. At the end of the scanning line, the shift instruction of the data sets a one-word-length. When the flip-flop 72 is set, the AND gate is opened while an AND gate G36 is closed so that the data of one word length are transferred from the circulating register 71 to the print-out butter register 73. The binary data in the print-out buffer register 73 are converted into a decimal by the converter 48 and transferred to the pattern generator as the recording data. The completion of recording one character is detected by the leading edge of the set output of the flip-flop 57 so that the AND gate G-35 is opened thereby transferring the next printing data from the circulating register 71 to the buffer register 73. The buffer register comprises flip-flops 74, 75, 76 and 77. The output in decimal code may be derived from AND gates, G50-G59 to which are applied the input from the buffer register 73. This may be expressed in terms of Boolean algebra as follows:

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a part of the pattern generator 46 which comprises pattern decoders 79-0, 79-1, and so on the number of which is equal to that of the characters to be recorded. The pattern decoder 79-0 decodes the numeral 0;79-I, I;79-2, 2; and so on. Each decoder has seven AND gates, that is the decoder 79-0 has the AND gates from G1 to G7; 79-1, G8-G14; 79-2, G15-G21, and so on. Each AND gate is applied with the scanning line output from the scan detector 45, the decimal decoded output from the converter 48 and the signal from the digit detector 60. Thus, the pattern decoder 79-0 which transfers the recording signal representative of the character 0" may be expressed in terms of Boolean algebra as follows:

The outputs from the AND gates may be applied to any one of the recording needles 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D through the signal voltage amplification unit 50 (See FIG. 4) as recording or printing signals.

Next the mode of operation will be described. The recording instruction from the computer is amplified through the LII amplifier AMP (See FIG. 6) so as to drive the motor 18. When the motor 18 rotates, the feed roller 16 rotates so that the recording paper 21 is advanced and the needle holder 13 and disc 14 are rotated. When the disc reaches the position as shown in FIG. 3, light from the lamp 33 passes through the aperture 31A for detecting the scanning line and is intercepted by the phototransistor 35 so that the electrical signal (pulse designated by 81 in TPB in FIG. 9) is generated. The electrical signals are transmitted to the counter 69 to count the pulses to detect the scanning line. The AND gates G15-G23 generate the outputs in response to the counted contents. In the instant embodiment, the detected scanning line is the first line so that only G15 generates N-2 signal.

When the disc rotates further so that the aperture 30 reaches immediately below the lamp 32, the light from the lamp 32 is intercepted by the phototransistor 34 through the aperture 30 In consequence, pulse designated by 82 on line TPA In FIG. 9 is generated so as to set the flip-flop 57. When the flip-flop is set, seven clock pulses 83-89 as shown in FIG. 9 are generated and counted by the counter 59 sequentially.

Depending upon the counts, various patterns are produced in accordance with the program in order to record the characters. Let it be assumed that 2" be stored in the buffer 73 while 0" is in MSD of circulating register 71. Then, the output is derived only from the output terminal for 2," that is the AND gate G52 of the converter 48. Therefore, the AND gates of the pattern decoders which constitute the pattern generator are applied with the signals in accordance with the predetermined program, that is P-A-P-R as shown in FIG. 8. The output from the converter is also applied to one of the pattern decoder. In this case, the output is applied only to the terminal of "2" and the output from the counter 69 is N-l. These signals are applied to the pattern generator from the N-l terminal in FIG. 8. In consequence, the AND gate from which the output is obtained is the gate G15 of the pattern decoder 79-2 from which is selected the P-K signal as the recording signal. This means that only the scanning portion shown by P-K in the recording pattern of 2 in FIG. 9 is recorded. After one recording signal has been transmitted that is after seven clock pulses have been generated and the flip-flop 57 has been reset by the output P-P so as to interrupt the clock pulse generation, the flip-flop 72 is reset and 0" stored in MSD in the circulating register 71 is transferred to the buffer register 73. This condition is maintained until the next column signal (pulses in FIG. 9) arrives.

The period of the pulses TPA is not constant. It is longer in the transient state of the motor 18 while it is shorter in the steady state. Since the recording pattern is limited only by the clock pulses whose period is constant, the due to the variation in the period of pulses When the disc 14 rotates further so that the aperture 30 reaches immediately below the lamp 32, the pulse 90 on line TPA in FIG. 9 is generated so that the flip-flop 57 is set in a similar manner as described above. Thus, seven clock pulses are generated so that the patterns P-A through P-R are generated. The output is derived only from the 0" terminal of the binary-to-decimal converter 48 which is connected to the buffer register 73. These three signals (the remainder signal being the scanning line signal N-I which is continuously generated until the disc 14 rotates further so that the aperture 318 reaches immediately below the lamp 33) are applied to the pattern generator so that the recording signal P-K is derived only from the AND gate G-l.

The content in the circulating register is sequentially transferred to the buffer in response to a digit or column signal in a similar manner as described hereinabove so that only the first scanning line of a numeral to be recorded is sequentially scanned. When the aperture 313 passes immediately below the lamp 33, the scanning line signal (pulses 91 in FIG. 9) is generated and is applied to be counter 69 so that the signal N-2 is obtained instead of the signal N-I. Therefore, the next recording is made along the second scanning line. In a similar manner, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh scanning recordings are accomplished.

The feed roller 16 rotates at a constant speed relative to the needle holder 13 so that when the relative speed is suitably selected, the spacing between the scanning lines may be arbitarily selected.

The signal derived from the terminal of the AND gate of the pattern generator as the recording signal is applied to the base of the transistor 51 in the signal voltage amplification unit 50 in FIG. 4. The transistor 51 is turned on only when the recording signal is applied thereto via the resistor 55 so that the transistor 52 is rendered conductive through the pulse transformer 54. The signal is then applied to any one of the recording needles 12A to 12D through the terminal 24 and the lead 23 extending through the hollow drive shaft 11.

In the embodiment described hereinabove, the binary-todecimal converter, the digit detector and the pattern decoders whose number is equal to the number of characters to be recorded are required. However, these units may be exceedingly simplified when a read-only memory is employed. The read-only memory is depicted in FIG. 11. The patterns to be recorded are stored in the read-only memory and the binary signals (the binary-to-digital converter may be eliminated when the read-only memory is employed) are applied to the terminals 100-105 (in this case, the buffer register has 6 bits) and the AND gate outputs PA, PB, P-C, P-D and P-E of the digit detector are applied to the terminals 106-110 so that the seven scanning line signals may be simultaneously derived from the terminals 111-117 for a certain pattern.

When for example the binary coded signal representing 2" is applied to the six terminals 100-105 from the buffer register, while the signal P-A is applied to the terminal 106 from the digit detector, the signals corresponding to 118 and 119 of the pattern 2" shows in FIG. are derived from the terminals 112 and 117 for the time interval between t and 1,. In a similar manner, in the time interval from I to 1 the outputs are derived from the terminals 111, 116 and 117; in the time interval from to 1 the outputs are derived from the terminals 111, 115 and 117; in the time interval from t to the outputs are derived from the terminals 111, 114 and 117; and in the time interval from and t the outputs are derived from the terminals 112, 113 and 117. When the above-mentioned output terminals are connected to the AND gates G111 through G117 to which are applied the scanning line signals N-l through N-7, the controlled recording signals upon the scanning lines may be obtained as the outputs from the AND gates.

In the first scanning line, the signal N-l is applied only to the AND gate G111 while no scanning line signals are applied to other AND gates G112 through G117 so that recording signals are not obtained from any terminal in the time interval from t to 1,. 1n the time intervals from t to t from 2 to I and from r to t,, the recording signals are derived from the AND gate G111 while in the time interval from L, to 1 no recording signal is obtained from any terminal. When one scanning line is recorded in the manner as described hereinabove, the next information of six bits of for example 0 is transferred from the circulating register into the buffer register. Only the recording signals relating to the terminals 111 are derived in a similar manner as described hereinabove.

In a similar manner, the contents in the circulating register are transferred to the buffer register and the recording signals in the first scanning line are derived. Upon completion of the recording in the first scanning line, the second scanning line is recorded. In a similar manner, the recordings are accomplished in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh scanning lines, thus recording a character. From the foregoing, it will be seen that the recording circuit may be exceedingly simplified when the read-only memory is employed.

In accordance with the electronic printer of the present invention, one recording needle is always used for recording so that the following advantages results from the present invention:

1. One character may be generated by seven horizontal strokes, but one character may be generated by strokes greater than seven by changing tHe number of decode-outs without changing the number of needles;

2. The ratio of the rotary scanning speed of the discharge needle to the rotary speed of the recording paper feed roller may be varied so that the height of a character may be arbitarily selected with the same number of strokes. The width or spacing of a character may be freely varied by adjusting the repetitive frequency of the clock pulses. The invention therefore provides an exceedingly greater flexibility as to the size of the character;

3. The contrast may be arbitarily changed by varying the recording voltage so that the desired data may be recorded thick or thin so as to be distinguished over other data:

4. The characters may be spaced apart from each other. The flip-flop is so arranged as to be reset when the needle counter counts the specific number so that the operation of spacing may be freely carried out without need of a special electrical control and without operating a carriage-return which is very complex.

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of said movement upon said recording medium;

recording position detecting means associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

2. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of said movement upon said recording medium;

detecting means for detecting the positions of the scanning lines and columns associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the detected scanning line position output and to the detected column position output so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

3. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which is advanced in one direction;

recording needles disposed in closely spaced apart relation with said recording medium so as to move in a direction substantially at a right angle relative to the direction of the advancement of said recording medium, the movement of said recording needles being correlated with said advancement of said recording medium;

recording position detecting means associated provided with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles. 4. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in a direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium, recording position detecting means comprising recording position indicating means for indicating recording positions on a disc rotatable in synchronism with said needle holder and detecting means for detecting indications from said recording position indicating means; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

5. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction;

recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in a direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium;

recording position detecting means comprising stationary light emissive means and light responsive elements so as to detect apertures formed through a disc which rotates in synchronism with said needle holder; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

6. An electronic printer according to claim 5, wherein said recording position detecting means comprises stationary light emissive means and light responsive elements for detecting the apertures for detection of scanning line step positions which are located along a circumference of one circle in said disc and the apertures for detection of column positions which are located along the circumference of another circle in said disc; and control means which controls the scanning line position and the column position in response to the detection outputs from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

7. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction;

recording needles carried by a needle belt which travels at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium in such a manner that said recording needles are closely adjacent to said recording medium;

recording position detecting means interposed between said belt and a stationary member; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

8. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in the direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium;

recording position detecting means comprising means defining apertures on said needle holder and light sources and associated light responsive elements for detecting said apertures; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

9. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of the movement upon said recording medium when an electrical signal is applied;

means for detecting the scanning line position and the column position associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles;

means for applying the output from said detecting means to a counter which is reset when it reaches a specified number and for deriving a signal indicating the scanning line;

means for generating the specified number of pulses in response to the detected column position output so as to generate a pattern signal required for recording in response to said pulses; and

control means which controls the recording data in response to said signal indicating the scanning line and said pattern signal so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.

10. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles disposed in closely spaced apart relation with said recording medium for movement in a direction substantially at a right angle relative to the movement of said recording medium, said movement of said recording needles being correlated with that of said recording medium; recording position detecting means comprising a plurality of magnets securely fixed to a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles and magnetic pickup means fixed to a stationary member in closely spaced apart relation with said magnets; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles. 

1. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of said movement upon said recording medium; recording position detecting means associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 2. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of said movement upon said recording medium; detecting means for detecting the positions of the scanning lines and columns associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the detected scanning line position output and to the detected column position output so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 3. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which is advanced in one direction; recording needles disposed in closely spaced apart relation with said recording medium so as to move in a direction substantially at a right angle relative to the direction of the advancement of said recording medium, the movement of said recording needles being correlated with said advancement of said recording medium; recording position detecting means associated provided with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 4. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in a direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium, recording position detecting means comprising recording position indicating means for indicating recording positions on a disc rotatable in synchronism with said needle holder and detecting means for detecting indications from said recording position indicating means; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 5. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in a direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium; recording position detecting means comprising stationary light emissive means and light responsive elements so as to detect apertures formed through a disc which rotates in synchronism with said needle holder; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 6. An electronic printer according to claim 5, wherein said recording position detecting means comprises stationary light emissive means and light responsive elements for detecting the apertures for detection of scanning line step positions which are located along a circumference of one circle in said disc and the apertures for detection of column positions which are located along the circumference of another circle in said disc; and control means which controls the scanning line position and the column position in response to the detection outputs from said detecting meaNs so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 7. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle belt which travels at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium in such a manner that said recording needles are closely adjacent to said recording medium; recording position detecting means interposed between said belt and a stationary member; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 8. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles carried by a needle holder which rotates in the direction at a right angle relative to the direction of the movement of said recording medium so that said recording needles may be closely adjacent to said recording medium; recording position detecting means comprising means defining apertures on said needle holder and light sources and associated light responsive elements for detecting said apertures; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 9. An electronic printer comprising recording needles each of which moves relative to a recording medium and records the locus of the movement upon said recording medium when an electrical signal is applied; means for detecting the scanning line position and the column position associated with a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles; means for applying the output from said detecting means to a counter which is reset when it reaches a specified number and for deriving a signal indicating the scanning line; means for generating the specified number of pulses in response to the detected column position output so as to generate a pattern signal required for recording in response to said pulses; and control means which controls the recording data in response to said signal indicating the scanning line and said pattern signal so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles.
 10. An electronic printer comprising a recording medium which moves in one direction; recording needles disposed in closely spaced apart relation with said recording medium for movement in a direction substantially at a right angle relative to the movement of said recording medium, said movement of said recording needles being correlated with that of said recording medium; recording position detecting means comprising a plurality of magnets securely fixed to a movable member which moves in synchronism with said recording needles and magnetic pickup means fixed to a stationary member in closely spaced apart relation with said magnets; and control means which controls the recording data in response to the output from said detecting means so as to generate the recording signals to be applied to said recording needles. 